Manual Breech Lock Wireline Connector

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a manual locking assembly for a quick connect coupling ( 1 ), wherein, from the outer radius of a cylindrical male pin ( 2 ), there extends at least one guiding and retaining lug ( 3 ) that during rotation is brought into abutment in corresponding locking grooves ( 7 ) within a cylindrical sleeve-shaped female part ( 6 ), wherein a centrally in the female part ( 6 ), axially arranged rotatable key bolt ( 10 ) comprising a quadrilateral locking block ( 12 ) that during engagement extends into a corresponding groove ( 5 ) in the cylindrical front piece ( 4 ) of the male pin ( 2 ), the key bolt ( 10 ) having a cylindrical guiding flange ( 13 ) and a cylindrical locking bolt ( 11 ) with millings ( 11′ ) on opposing sections. The invention is characterized in that a locking bolt retainer ( 20 ) has a cylindrical body ( 21 ) comprising a lower flange ( 22 ) and an upper flange ( 23 ), wherein a transversal hole ( 24 ) corresponding with the outer radius of the locking bolt ( 11 ) is drilled centrally through the body ( 21 ), while a groove ( 25 ), corresponding with the millings ( 11′ ) on the locking bolt ( 11 ), extends from the hole ( 24 ), wherein a spring ( 27 ) below the locking bolt retainer ( 20 ) is preloaded on locking, and in that the locking bolt retainer ( 20 ) on the top side of the upper flange ( 23 ) has an inclined surface ( 26 ) designed for application of thumb pressure through a hole ( 9 ) with associated guiding grooves ( 8 ) in the female part ( 6 ) for use on unlocking.

The present invention relates to a manual locking assembly for a quick connect coupling of the kind defined in the preamble of the attached claim 1.

Quick connect couplings of this kind are used, inter alia, for connecting a wireline to a tool string.

The following patents describe prior art:

-   -   FR 928 506     -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,849     -   U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,250

These patents disclose quick connect couplings based on a male part having radial sidewalls that are brought into corresponding engagement in radial grooves of a female part and locked therein by various locking plates in order to resist high torsional forces in addition to tensile forces. The coupling of the male and female parts also occurs laterally, with the interlocking being accomplished by means of an in the female part suspended, cylindrical spring loaded latching element that is guided axially down in the top of the male part and locked. Normally, unlocking is accomplished using a special tool and a pipe wrench.

EP 1229211 discloses a manual quick connect coupling for a wireline tool comprising a male part (16) having a number of retaining lugs (42) and a transversal groove (40) provided at the front end of the male part. The arrangement also comprises a female part (12), a connector part (20), a spring (22), and a sleeve-shaped part (14Y to be mounted in the female part.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,986,690 relates to a quick connect coupling wherein it is known that a male pin is guided into a locking sleeve and brought into contact with a locking assembly. The male pin is then rotated to bring guiding and retaining lugs into abutment in corresponding locking grooves; simultaneously, the locking assembly will be brought into engagement with a groove cut at the tip of the male pin, whereby a spring is unloaded. The publication further shows how uncoupling is accomplished by compressing the spring and bringing the male pin to the release position by rotation. This is accomplished using special tools and a pipe wrench.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,631 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,784,543 describe lockable quick connect couplings wherein the coupling is achieved by guiding the male pin into a locking sleeve. It is further shown that a number of guiding and retaining lugs extend from the outer radius of the male pin and that the male pin is retained by rotation, so that the retaining lugs are brought into abutment in locking grooves in the locking sleeve.

According to the present invention, a locking assembly is provided that allows both the locking and the unlocking of the quick connect coupling to be performed using hand power.

According to the present invention, this is accomplished by means of a quick connect coupling of the above kind characterized by the features set forth in the characterizing part of the independent claim 1.

In the following, a detailed description of an embodiment of the present invention is given, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

FIGS. 1 a-b show side views of the quick connect coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a detail of the quick connect coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention,

FIGS. 3 a-b show a perspective view and a cross-section, respectively, of another detail of the quick connect coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention, and

FIGS. 4 a-b show in a perspective view the manner in which two parts of the quick connect coupling according to an embodiment of the present invention fit together.

FIGS. 1-4 show a locking assembly in the form of a key bolt 10 incorporated into a quick connect coupling 1 as well as detail drawings of the three main components of the key bolt 10; a locking bolt 11, a locking block 12, and a locking bolt retainer 20.

FIG. 1 a shows a side view of the male pin 2 of the quick connect coupling 1 guided into a female part 6 before being rotated 90°, wherein the guiding and retaining lugs 3 are not brought into abutment in locking grooves 7. Locking block 12 is seated in a groove 5 in the front piece 4 of the male pin 2 before being rotated.

FIG. 1 b shows a similar side view of the quick connect coupling 1 after rotation of the male pin within the female part 6, with the guiding and retaining lugs 3 now being seated in locking grooves 7. Locking bolt 11 and locking block 12 of the locking assembly 10 are rotated 90°, so that the locking bolt 11 with millings 11′ on the upper and lower diameter is allowed to slide in grooves 25 in a locking bolt retainer 20, which during rotation is pushed down using the thumb and tensions an underlying spring 27.

FIG. 2 shows a 3D detail drawing of the key bolt 10 of the locking assembly that is operated axially between the male pin 2 and the female part 6, and that consists of a locking bolt 11 with millings 11′ on opposing sections for operation through a locking bolt retainer 20, a guiding flange 13, and a quadrilateral locking block 12, the locking block 12 corresponding with the groove 5 in the cylindrical front piece 4 of the male pin 2.

FIG. 3 a shows a 3D detail drawing of the locking bolt retainer 20 having a cylindrical body 21 comprising a lower flange 22 and an upper flange 23, wherein a transversal hole 24 is drilled centrally through the body 21, the transversal hole 24 corresponding with the outer radius of the locking bolt 11, and wherein a groove 25 corresponding with the millings 11′ on the locking bolt 11 extends from the hole 24. The upper flange 23 has an inclined surface 26 designed for application of thumb pressure through a hole 9 with associated guiding grooves 8 in the female part for use on locking and unlocking.

FIG. 3 b is a side view of the locking bolt retainer 20 showing the hole 24 and the groove 25.

FIG. 4 a shows in a 3D drawing the male pin 2 comprising guiding and retaining lugs 3 and a front piece 4 with grooves 5 for the locking block 12.

FIG. 4 b shows a similar drawing of the female part 6 comprising a guiding groove 8 and a hole 9 for the locking bolt retainer. 

1. A manual locking assembly for a quick connect coupling (1), wherein, from the outer radius of a cylindrical male pin (2), there extends at least one guiding and retaining lug (3) that during rotation is brought into abutment in corresponding locking grooves (7) within a cylindrical sleeve-shaped female part (6), wherein a centrally in the female part (6), axially arranged rotatable key bolt (10) comprises a quadrilateral locking block (12) that during engagement extends into a corresponding groove (5) in the cylindrical front piece (4) of the male pin (2), the key bolt (10) having a cylindrical guiding flange (13) and a cylindrical locking bolt (11) with millings (11′) on opposing sections, characterized in that a locking bolt retainer (20) has a cylindrical body (21) comprising a lower flange (22) and an upper flange (23), wherein a transversal hole (24) corresponding with the outer radius of the locking bolt (11) is drilled centrally through the body (21), while a groove (25), corresponding with the millings (11′) on the locking bolt (11), extends from the hole (24), wherein a spring (27) below the locking bolt retainer (20) is preloaded on locking, and in that the locking bolt retainer (20) on the top side of the upper flange (23) has an inclined surface (26) designed for application of thumb pressure through a hole (9) with associated guiding grooves (8) in the female part (6) for use on unlocking.
 2. The locking assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that when the male pin (2) is guided into abutment in the female part (6), the locking block (12) is adapted to rest in the groove (5) in the front piece (4) of the male pin (2), and on manual rotation of the male pin (2) relative to the female part (6), the key bolt (10) is adapted to rotate correspondingly, so that the milled parts (11′) of the locking bolt (11) is rotated and thereby allowed to slide in the groove (25), the locking bolt retainer (20) being forced upwards by the preloaded spring (27).
 3. The locking assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that the locking bolt retainer (20) er designed for being pushed down on unlocking, while at the same time the male pin (2) is rotated relative to the female part (6) so that the locking bolt (11) is rotated in the hole (24), which rotation also rotates the retaining lugs (3) out of locking grooves (7) and thereby releases the male pin (2) from the female part (6). 